FlyerTalker688786

http://cn.ichotelsgroup.com/hotels/c...heroslot1_WP12

In the terms and condition, the last paragraph:

>>从2013年1月1日开始，为了准确定义金卡、白金卡会员资格，优悦会积分将被划分为优悦会升级适用积 分和优悦会非升级适用积分。会员支付符合奖赏标准的房价以及通过合作伙伴的交易而取得的积分被认定为优悦会 升级适用积分。符合奖赏标准的费用包括：非折扣费用，标准公司价格，全球销售协议价格，国家/地区/本地政府价格以及洲际酒店集团的HOLIDEX® Plus 预订系统确认的特殊休闲价格。其他交易获取的积分，包括：促销积分，积分券，购买积分，积分转账以及积分存 储被认定为非级别适用积分，不计入优悦会会员升级认定范围。

English translation by me:

Starting from 1st January 2013, PCR points will be divided into two categories: status points and non-status points. This is to better clarify the threshold for Gold and Platinum memberships. The status points will include qualifying room rate and partner points from qualifying activities. The qualifying room rate also include: flexible room rate, corporate rate, GDS corporate rate, state/regional/local government negotiated rate and special leisure rate confirmed in HOLIDEX Plus system assigned by IHG. Non-status points will include: promotional points, points voucher, point purchase, point transfer and point deposit.

This will be major downgrade for me. It means the bonus points package is venerable for being non-qualifying points. The quarterly promotional points are somewhat unknown according to the text.

ag51

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/534.24 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/11.0.696.34 Safari/534.24)

This may be just a Chinese thing, as there seems to be a major upgrade in Platinum bbenefits at Chinese properties from January 2013 according to this page

http://www.priorityclub.com/hotels/us/en/global/offers/pcr_basics

(like free internet, welcome drink, guaranteed upgrades)

holtju2

I think that it would be too difficult to have to different sets of qualification requirements for China and the rest of the world.

They really need to spice up the benefits. If you look at the terms and conditions of this China offer, the upgrades are not guaranteed but rather based on availability. You would get (guaranteed) free welcome drink, internet access and an amenity.

Hilton, Hyatt, Marrott and Starwood provide a club access and/or breakfast for their Platinum members.

Let's just hope that they are not tweaking how one can register for promotions....

EDIflyer

This certainly seems to make it much more difficult to acquire status - I do wonder if these proposed benefits upgrades linked to above will be made available worldwide? The current Platinum benefits are pretty rubbish after all!

Amyrlin

I agree 100% with this, the benefits are weak, and with the tightening of which nights count as qualifying the status needs either give more benefits or lower the threshold.

It could just be a Chinese things, there have been a number of recent promos that have been mananged based on geography.

Bundy Bear

Free internet would be useful for Platinum members.

bob12403

chongcao, thanks very much for providing the translation. Now we'll have to wait and see if this is a worldwide change in the PC terms.

In the meantime, I'm going with the Google translation of chongcao's post:

"Order to accurately define the membership of the Gold, Platinum, Priority Club points will be divided into Priority Club upgrade applicable to integral and non-Priority Club upgrade applies Credits >> start from January 1, 2013. The prices trading partners integral member pay Qualifying identified integral Priority Club upgrade applies. Qualifying expenses include: special leisure price confirmation by the non-discounted cost, standard company prices, global sales agreement price, national / regional / local government price, and InterContinental Hotels Group HOLIDEX ® Plus reservation system. Other transactions get points, including: Promotional Credits Credits coupons, buy credits, the integral transfer as well as the integral storage was identified as a non-level applicable Credits not included in Priority Club upgrades identified range."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Lin Hang Ren

Free Internet for both gold and plat! Officially announced! 30% off to book club floor/suites for plats!

http://www.priorityclub.com/hotels/u...ers/pcr_basics
Starting Jan 2013!

Chinatrvl

Except that upsell offer, those benefits are already standard now at (almost) all hotels here...

paulmoscow

What about a Platinum bonus? If it will count towards status, it means you need $4K for requalification.

Raffles

But if you read the T&C's, it does sound as if this is just for China.

Could they be setting different rules for different countries? After all, there are lots of PC hotels in China with room rates which are a fraction of Western rates - but which still let you rack up status points via Stay 4, Get XXXXX etc.

Tiki

Who cares? If you have the Chase card, you are PLT anyways!

FlyerTalker688786

The rules of upgrade or benefits mentioned in that webpage is extra benefits provided in hotels of Greater China area.

But the benefits are applied to all PRC members.

From the wording in the T&C I mentioned earlier, I suspect that rule (qualifying points and non-status points) will apply to all PRC members.

Doug_1970

This seems like a sensible move to me, especially if it comes with an increase in Plat benefits. I've never understood why bonus points and purchased points count towards status - I can't think of any airline that allows this.

Even with the new rules, it is still pretty easy to qualify for Plat, 45 - 50 nights should easily do it.

Dave Noble

If this was to chance and platinum bonus points for the stay were to apply too, then it would take me about 15-20 nights to qualify ( and 23-30 just on base ) which is still pretty reasonableb